Russ Ravary’s home seller’s tips kitchens

Today let’s talk about outdated kitchens. Whether your kitchen has not been updated in many years or whether you inherited a home with a very old kitchen this is one of the most important parts of your home when you sell your home. Most home buyers head for the kitchen right away. I would say that for most Metro Detroit home buyers that the kitchen is one of the primary rooms that they look at.

I will start with this. It is rare to get your money out of a full kitchen remodel. Full kitchen remodels are so expensive. You are not going to get the full amount (ROI) back. Many kitchens cost over $30,000 to over a $100,000 to redo. You most likely are going to through money away if you do a full kitchen remodel. As your realtor with over 20 years of experience I have seen people that did do a kitchen remodel feel bad after they realize they can’t get the money back.

Sure if you are going to live in the house for a few years or more and going to enjoy the kitchen for a while or it is going to make your wife happy then I would do it. Again it is all about the cost. You just have to remember that you are most likely not going to get all of your money back. As your realtor I do not want you to spend money that you are not going to get back. There is no sense to waste time and money when you sell.

As I tell all my clients….. you have to think like a landlord now. You are only going to be in the house until you sell it.

Make it nice but do it as inexpensively as possible

So what type of updating can you do if the kitchen is worn or dated. Let’s talk about countertops first. Granite, and quartz are the “in” countertops. You will get you money back on this update in most cases. It will also help you sell the house as most ladies want beautiful countertops. So I would highly recommend updating the countertops if your old one is worn, is tile, or is formica. Just don’t go with the most expensive granite. Go to one of the lower priced ones. Get granite is my suggestion.

The next part to concentrate on is the cabinets. The question I have is can you touch up the worn spots on the cabinets by restaining or revarnishing them? If you can do that and make them look better then I would do that. If that will not work many people now paint the cabinets. They do it with White paint, cream colored paint, or gray paint. You just do not want to use an ugly or puke colored brown or green. Try to mimic cabinet colors that are already out there. Don’t go with blues, or any off color because home buyers will be turned off.

The second thing to do is update the pulls, or the handles. Go with a modern handle. Stainless steel or a brushed nickel are two good choices. Stay away from flowers or other nic nacky type of kitchen hardware. New hardware and a fresh coat of paint on the cabinets makes a world of difference.

Let’s talk about the flooring. If there is old linoleum, carpet or damaged wood floor. If there is then it pays to redo the floor. Again go inexpensive. If you can find nice neutral colored, and inexpensive peel and stick tile I would update the flooring. Peel and stick tile is usually the easiest and cheapest way to update the floor.

Lastly take down any wall paper and put a fresh coat of paint on the walls. This brings you the biggest bang for your buck. This is a must if you are updating the kitchen to sell. A quick coat of paint will bring you a good return on your investment. Remember these tips work on lake houses or any house.

Bottom line is the more you update the quicker the house will sell and it will sell for more than if you didn’t. However time and money may be an issue. You may not want to tackle all the work. It boils down to what you are willing to do. As your realtor I just don’t want you to waste time and money doing things that will not bring you a return. I want you to ge the most for your home without going over board updating the house. It may not even pay to update the kitchen if the house has many other issues. I can tell you whether the house is worth updating when you have me over to look at it.

Remember I offer some of the lowest commission rates in Metro Detroit. Why over pay some team or another realtor when you can get great marketing for your home, and the same great service for much less. Too many home sellers over pay on commission and they sometimes over pay on the transaction fees real estate companies charge you.

It’s all about you keeping more money in your pocket

I hope you enjoy my latest installment of home selling tips on old kitchens.

Russ Ravary your metro Detroit realtor making your next move easier, and less stressful

Call me at 248-310-6239

Check out some of my past articles on this site Subs in Northville Michigan check out Livonia’s too. Livonia subdivisions  Or if you want to live on a lake here is a very nice lake Union Lake homes West Bloomfield MI

If you are thinking of hiring your friend for a home inspection check this one out Sorry your uncle doesn’t know – Waterford home buying or a past Detroit real estate market update

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